U.S. expands military presence in Philippines with four new sites.

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced plans to open four new military sites in the Philippines for "regional readiness" as part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. The new sites will strengthen the interoperability of the United States and Philippine armed forces and allow them to respond more seamlessly together to address shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. The Philippine Constitution prohibits the permanent basing of foreign troops, but the EDCA defense pact allows visiting American forces to indefinitely stay in rotating batches within designated Philippine camps.